


glitteR

by ktsushade



Category: BanG Dream! Girl's Band Party! (Video Game)
Genre: Childhood Friends, Drinking, F/F, host club
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-21
Updated: 2018-11-21
Packaged: 2019-08-27 05:19:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,472
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16696183
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ktsushade/pseuds/ktsushade
Summary: She was only going for Himari's sake, she told herself. A tacky club in a tacky area deep within Kabukicho was not normally where Chisato spent her free time. But when she sees a familiar face on the host list, she can't help but shamefully order her partner for the night. "I see. Then, I shall go for Kaoru-san."





	glitteR

At the end of her first year of university, Shirasagi Chisato was certain that her grip on life and the direction she was taking it was tight. She excelled in her studies, her social life was healthy, she used her idol funds to get an apartment of her own in a fairly good district and never had to worry about being financially unstable. Compared to many other students, she was much better off - which she was grateful for. But as one of her closest friends believed in, it was all due to her hard work paying off.

_ This _ , however, was something she had no understanding of. 

Himari pointed excitedly at the tacky, blinking sign above them. glitteR was the name of the place.

_ Let us ease your weariness, my Princess _ was the subtitle which made it seem much more repulsive than Chisato initially thought. However, seeing how Himari’s face seemed to just ooze excitement, and knowing every single person they knew declined her invitation, she would at least accompany her. Better safe than sorry she told herself in the mirror before leaving her apartment.

The lights of Kabukicho seemed to be a bit dimmer that night, and the people she walked by as Himari chattered on about something she didn’t understand felt much more strange to her than any other passersby did. The nerves were having a field day in her stomach, she started craving a water bottle to ease them. 

“Here we go!” Himari cheered. The place was, of course, hidden away on the fifth floor of a building that was crammed in between two large offices - making it accessible to only those who knew what was inside. The eerie silence of the stairwell and hallways as they searched the walls for an entrance did nothing to ease Chisato’s internal mantra of “run away”. 

When they did finally find it, Himari stopped before a poster. On it were faces of men, overly large and photoshopped to hell and back to make them seem much more appealing. 

“Who to choose…?” 

Chisato knew how these things worked. Choose a host, pay them for their time and in exchange receive all the attention you could ever get from a boyfriend. On paper it didn’t seem like such a bad idea, but in practice she was sure it was nothing but an awkward, artificial exchange that at the end of the night left hundreds of women with empty wallets and hearts. She didn’t exactly feel comfortable paying a man she had no interest in for his affections, especially when -

“Ah, Chisato-san! They have women options here!”

Himari’s loud voice, booming in the silence of the hallway, completely tore Chisato’s mask of cool indifference apart. Instantly turning red, she glared at Himari like she had never glared at anyone before, her fingers digging into her purse as she clutched it closer to her chest. But it seemed all of it went right over the girl’s head, as she scanned the unique corner of the poster before landing on the woman who seemed to be bigger than the rest on the lineup, clearly intended to catch anyone eye’s. 

“Ahh, she’s pretty. Kaoru, huh~ I think I’ll ge-  _ that much _ ?!”

Chisato’s body went numb as she too found her eyes drifting to those large, mischievous red ones printed on the wall. The name was familiar, the purple hair was familiar, and those eyes - far too red to even be a coincidence. She had never met another person with eyes that color...

_ No, no. Get a hold of yourself Chisato. You really can’t think  _ that  _ girl would become a host at some tacky club, do you?  _

But as Himari had expressed, the price for each host was different. Newer, inexperienced hosts were cheaper than their more sought after options, and Kaoru was the second most expensive of them all. Sighing, she decided, and Himari pulled her inside.

It was dim, and smelled like cigarettes, but the atmosphere felt more like a high-end restaurant than it did a club. They could hear the clinking of glasses, the sound of champagne bubbling and bottles being opened, but it was far more calm than any regular bar they found in the streets. 

“Hello,” a man welcomed them. His hair was freshly cut and his suit was tight against his body which looked far more uncomfortable than it probably needed to. Still, the two women greeted him quietly, not wanting to ruin the atmosphere. “Did you have a reservation?”

“Ah, no,” Chisato responded instantly. She wanted Himari to take the lead, but it seemed like her habits couldn’t be shaken that easily. Still, the thought that they might be able to go home seemed to put her at ease. However, instead of being rejected, the man nodded and pulled out a smartphone to check on something before handing them a pamphlet. 

“You can choose anyone you’d like. At the moment these two are busy.” He pointed to two random men on the page, Chisato didn’t care to look. “If you’re looking for women I highly recommend Kaoru-san, but if you’re more into the wild types then we recommend Tomoe-san.”

His casual way of bringing it up almost made Chisato flush again, though she kept her composure and nodded. It felt strange, essentially ordering people like they were food - they even had a menu board outside and everything. But the calm interior, the dim lights and quiet chatter helped ease Chisato’s second thoughts. 

“I see. Then, I shall go for Kaoru-san.”

Himari turned to her, mouth agape in surprise, while Chisato averted her eyes in embarrassment. “Chisato-san!” It didn’t seem like she sounded hurt - Chisato could hear the concern in her voice which lead her to believe Himari was worried about the price.

Before she could get her piece in, Himari pointed at her choice and they were led to their own booths. It was even darker in the back than it was at the entrance, with blue and purple lights scattered on the walls making everything around her glow, with only a few chandeliers dimmed to their minimum hanging above. 

There were various tables in one place where the customer and their host could have their alone time, or chat among a large group. Tonight, seeing as it was still rather early, they could only see a few people being taken care of. It truly looked like they were regular couples having a few drinks together. Just watching them made her feel like she was intruding on something intimate.

Chisato bit her lip, now that she was alone. She could see Himari’s head bobbing to and fro as she listened to the light music coming out of the speakers above. The girl looked far more comfortable than Chisato did, what with her thighs glued together and her arms pressing against her sides hard enough for her to start feeling uncomfortable. 

She was used to adapting to new situations - she prided herself on being able to take anything at face value and take the reigns of conversation in the direction she wanted. Tonight, however, Chisato had no idea what to do. Such new territory… well, scared her. 

And the person she chose, that was a whole matter entirely. Dealing with waitresses and waiters who came by to ask how things went before moving on was an entirely different monster than dealing with, interacting with and sitting with her own  _ companion _ . The word felt bitter on her tongue. It made Chisato sound…  _ lonely _ .

And her name was Kaoru.  _ Kaoru _ . The name she would hear once and would continue sticking in the back of her mind, mocking her for the next ten years. Surely there were more Kaorus in Japan - surely more than one with purple hair and eyes as red as a ripe tomato-

She continued thinking, lost in thought when she heard the boisterous laughter coming from afar. The sound of ice clattering in a bucket followed by the confident clacks of someone coming closer made Chisato shudder. Looking up, she found herself staring up at red eyes that seemed to glow in the shadows hitting her face. 

Her hostess was  _ tall _ . Her suit was still cut to fit a feminine physique, and she could see the curves of her hips and breasts even in the darkness. Long purple hair, tied into a low ponytail and hanging over her shoulder glowed with blue highlights, almost as if it was sucking in the color itself. Chisato couldn’t help but feel somewhat mezmerised but what she was looking at. 

_ She is… gorgeous... _

“Good evening,” Kaoru started, setting down a small glass cup on the table. A few ice cubes were carefully stacked on top of each other and Chisato was handed a hot towel to clean her hands. Thankfully it helped in helping her sweaty palms dry. “I’m Kaoru, thank you for choosing me as your host tonight.”

Her voice was deep and charming, with words flowing out of her mouth like a perfect melody. Chisato closed her eyes and took a deep breath, not wanting to seem speechless and rude in front of someone who seemed to be perfect at their job. 

“I’m… Ch-Chisato. It’s nice to meet you.”

Her name came out like a fumbled mess, and her teeth clamped down on her tongue as a way to reprimand herself for sounding like a nervous teenager. After all the business meetings, management, producers and other staff she had met before, never did she stutter with introducing herself. 

However, she knew why. The way her hostess’s face fell, melting into one she recognized from  _ so long ago - _

Then hidden, replaced with a charming smile and eyes clouded with experience. “Ah! Well, Chisato-san, I plan on making your night worth it. Shall we start with a drink?” The champagne was poured expertly, ice clinking as they hit the sides of the glass. Sliding it across the table, Kaoru set her bucket of ice on the corner of the table and took Chisato’s now cold towel, folding it over the edge. 

She took a seat then, closing the distance between herself and Chisato, though there was still a few inches between their elbows. Not knowing what exactly she was supposed to be doing, her hands wrapped awkwardly around her drink. The ice did a good job of chilling it, which in turn helped cool the rest of her body. Chisato had never felt such nervousness before, even when having to deal with the biggest of film industries. 

Why now? She bit her lip in frustration and hurriedly took a gulp of the champagne. It was good, surely, but she couldn’t taste it over the bitterness that seemed to stick on her tongue. “So,” Kaoru began again, taking the lead to initiate conversation. “Is this your first time at one of these places?”

It seemed she caught on to Chisato’s awkwardness. Kaoru’s expectant look made her shiver, and she swallowed, hoping to find the right words. 

“Yes,” she said plainly, wondering if she should elaborate. When Kaoru’s eyebrows rose, clearly wanting the conversation to keep going, Chisato nodded. “It was more of, my friend wanted to come and I felt it best to accompany her. Though…” Her eyes searched through the dark to find Himari’s pink hair, and a slight pang of panic surged through her when she couldn’t see her.  
“Ah, a friend!” Kaoru said, clapping her hands. Suddenly, she got up, black suit wrinkled just a bit at the waist. “If it will make you feel comfortable, I’ll bring her over?”

Well, it could certainly help lighten the mood a little. Chisato wasn’t very fit for bar or club scenes after all. She gave a small hum, though she wasn’t sure if Kaoru could hear it or not. Either way, she was off to fetch Himari after a brief description, and Chisato couldn’t help but silently gesture “large chest” with an exaggerated swing of her arms. The brief chuckle that Kaoru let slip made Chisato giggle.

_ God, now I’m thinking she’s cute… _

If she could ignore the debate of whether to confront Kaoru about what wandered her mind or not continued until Himari’s wail startled her in the middle of a long sip of her drink. Kaoru immediately came to her side to pat her back with gentle taps until she was able to breathe again, and Himari leaned back into the booth seat with a sigh of content. Her hostess appeared with Kaoru, striped suit and unkempt braided hair making her look more out of a yakuza catalogue than a host bar.

“Chisato-san, this is Tomoe!”

“Hm? First name basis already?”

Kaoru turned to Tomoe with a snicker, and the other woman brushed her off with a wave of her hand. Chisato could see how much more carefree she was with the way she plopped down next to Himari, immediately pouring some sort of alcohol into a large glass with a casual remark about Kaoru’s politeness. 

“Kaoru...san,” Chisato forced out, watching with trained eyes how all of Kaoru’s attention fell on her. It was like she was the only one in the room - granted the other pair were more content with talking in hushed voices, in their own little world, than they were interacting with herself and Kaoru. “Are there perhaps any stronger drinks?”

“Of course.”

She didn’t plan on getting wasted, but letting herself be the one holding herself back while the others had fun didn’t sit well with her. And so, Chisato requested some of the hardest liquor Kaoru could find.

* * *

“You really have gorgeous hair,” Himari purred. Her hands raked through Tomoe’s bangs to try and straighten them, only for strands to poke out in all directions. “Isn’t there just something so  _ great _ about girl’s hair?”

Tomoe laughed, sticking another one of their salty snacks between Himari’s lips. “There must be, considering how soft yours is.”

The squeal that followed almost made Chisato hurl. There was something so strange, so  _ off _ , about seeing and hearing one of her own friends completely fall victim to the host club’s appeal. Then again, the girl was pretty much buzzing and still ready to down more drinks. Hadn’t Kaoru brought them over to make her feel more comfortable? Instead, all it did was add to Chisato’s anxiety and made her feel like she had to keep up in order to have fun.

“We usually aren’t supposed to speak about personal matters,” Kaoru suddenly said, sliding into the booth with yet another glass of alcohol. It was Chisato’s third, but she was content with the pace she was going. Her eyes, slowly glazing over with intoxication, carried the question on her tongue. “But this one wonders where the lovely Chisato-san works.”

She stopped in the middle of a long sip and gently set down the glass. The tables around them were filling up, and the clatter of glasses, cheers and mundane conversations made the silence between them seem a little less awkward. 

The answer was so simple. A one worded answer would have been enough, and yet she wondered why it was so difficult to say it. This was the moment of truth - the moment Kaoru would learn. Chisato was so sure of herself, so utterly  _ aware _ of who this was.

“An actress. I’ve been in films and such since I was younger, and have continued doing side work while I study.”

Kaoru nodded. There was no indication she had caught on, which somehow Chisato was grateful for. Maybe Kaoru really wasn’t _ that  _ Kaoru -

“You certainly do have the aura of one,” she suddenly said, pouring more alcohol into Chisato’s glass. “I’m afraid I haven’t seen the films you star in, else I would have certainly remembered such beauty.”

Chisato wanted to bite her tongue, especially when she felt the butterflies begin to flutter in her stomach - was she really falling for this? The childish girl inside her certainly was. 

“Thank you,” she responded dryly, trying to pick herself up from that fumble. “They’re fairly dated at this point so I can’t say if they’re good or not.” The very least she could do was fake disinterest. 

“Ah, but you see, whether the movie itself is good or not means nothing to me,” Kaoru’s voice slowly dipped into a whisper, and she gently grabbed Chisato’s hand to press warm lips on her knuckles. “So long as the woman in it is worth watching.”

_ Calm down, calm down Chisato!! This is all an  _ act _ \- yes, an act…! _

Chisato ignored the chaos going on in her head and downed the rest of her drink. Things were beginning to look more bright and hazy, and Chisato could feel her stiff body begin to relax. At least the alcohol was doing what it should have been. Seeing as Kaoru was insistent on playing the part of a doting prince, Chisato would take advantage of it. 

_ You still have a fondness for Romeo and Juliet, do you not? _

“My, but surely there is no film with a single character on screen,” she said, tapping the corner of the table for another drink. She could hear Himari giggling like a madwoman next to them, but they too were now sucked into their own world. Kaoru’s laugh was much more friendly then, and her features melted from a stern princely to one of a girl having a good time. Chisato much preferred that one. 

“Ah, you are right. But somehow I’m feeling a little  _ jealous _ thinking of you sharing the screen with another.” Kaoru’s wink didn’t (and shouldn’t have) made her heart race, and it seemed to Chisato the flirtatious aura that was beginning to grow would soon consume them. It didn’t bother her, not when her head was fuzzy with weird, warm thoughts while Sober Chisato tried to smack some sense into her. 

Instead of listening to Sober Chisato, she smirked and looked directly into Kaoru’s eyes, coming to like the way the conversation was heading. “Jealousy has no place on  _ my _ stage, you see. I’ve always preferred to see people go after what they want, if they truly want it.” She took a moment to stir the ice in her cup, the clatter serving as a filler while she gathered her thoughts. “Though there are times I wish I had stepped up more than I did.”

Kaoru stayed quiet, but didn’t hesitate to leave the booth for a moment before returning with a new glass, this time filled with water. “We do all go through those times. Wanting to go back in time and change things now that you know better. You are not alone there, Chisato, I assure you of that.”

“Now  _ you’re _ dropping formality, hm?”

The sheepish grin that followed was far cuter than it should have been. She let out a deep sigh, now that the water was doing its job in helping sober Chisato up. Himari and Tomoe had left their table, and she could see them at another with a few other hosts - clinking glasses, chanting something inaudible and laughing when Himari indulged in more drinks for everyone… having a good time. While here she was, having a pretty deep conversation with someone who was essentially a  _ stranger _ . 

“There is one point in my life,” she said, her words airy and uncertain. Kaoru’s full attention was on her, and it made Chisato feel a lot more nervous about what she was going to say. But she would blame it on the alcohol. “My closest friend, you see. Someone I thought I could trust with my life, who I thought would stay by my side forever.”

“Of course, childhood promises are nothing more than children being children. At least I know that much now. But part of me still believes her words, that she would someday sweep me off my feet…” 

A small rose, a small grin, and their audience of a pup appearing in her mind made Chisato smile, but it also made her chest hurt with a familiar feeling. “I’ve thought of her for almost ten years, isn’t that pathetic? That I would let a childhood crush linger for so long.”

While she excelled at her studies and her work felt worth it every single day, the thing Shirasagi Chisato lacked, and constantly thought about, was a romantic partner. Far too busy to even consider one, and still very much in the closet despite her closest friend smothering her in acceptance, Chisato could never find it in her to see another person in the same light as she had that small girl so long ago. 

Why was it now, that she was staring into those red eyes, those emotions began to surface?

She didn’t know why she was spilling her guts to Kaoru. She didn’t know why she began to clutch at the edge of her seat with as much strength as she could pour into her fingertips. Chisato’s mind just went blank. 

At least, until a chilly hand touched hers. Kaoru’s eyes, still unreadable, lingered on the back of her hand, watching as Chisato gently began to pull away. “Chisato.”

“If that friend suddenly did appear again,” this time it was Kaoru’s turn to avert her gaze. For such an experienced host at a club, she surely didn’t look the part anymore, but Chisato couldn’t ignore the feeling of warm fingers slipping in between her own. “Would there still be a chance?”

“If after ten years there wasn’t a chance,” she said, keeping her cool. Kaoru’s face lifted then, and in her red eyes that finally cleared, Chisato saw her reflection. When had she started smiling so brightly? Was this part of her hard-to-get act, or was this the real - lonely, childish and selfish - Chisato coming through? She couldn’t tell anymore. “I would be quite the fool, wouldn’t I?”

“As Shakespeare once said, “you can’t blame gravity for falling in love.”” Kaoru nodded to herself, breaking the eye contact when she closed her eyes to indulge in the words that came out of her mouth. Chisato, however, could only blankly stare when she didn’t continue, simply leaving the quote hanging. 

“That… is not a Shakespeare quote.”

“But does it still not hold meaning?”

Chisato looked down at their hands, still intertwined and softly resting against the cushion. She couldn’t deny Kaoru’s words - as strange as they were - but she also didn’t want to jump into such an opportunity out of desperation. As excited as she was, Shirasagi Chisato wouldn’t let  _ Seta Kaoru _ of all people whisk her away in a moment of weakness. 

Slowly, they would take it slowly.

“You will get your answer if you can answer me this: how long have you known?”

The question, much like Kaoru’s quote, hung around the air for a bit, the words taking their sweet time to soak into their minds. Then, a small smile, followed by a wink. “From the moment I saw you sitting here.”

“You are insufferable, Kao-chan.”

“Ahh, that nickname. You wound me so, Chii-chan. Now, shall I get my answer?”

Chisato’s answer was to take the bottle of champagne sitting on the table, chug it three times and fall into Kaoru’s chest with a loud sigh of content, feeling everything in her body finally, finally relax. Kaoru’s hands slowly crept up her waist before they were pushed away. “Don’t think you will get there so easily. We have ten years of catching up to do - which includes a question of why you’re working in such a tacky establishment.”

Kaoru let out a sound that wasn’t quite a cough but wasn’t a clearing of her throat either, trying to keep up with Chisato’s pace while also trying to make sure the girl wouldn’t slip out of her grip. “You see, while the job itself entails something not quite acceptable in the public eye, it allows me to ease the weariness of lost little kittens who are in need of cheering up.”

Clearly, that wasn’t the answer Chisato was looking for as she looked absolutely repulsed. 

“O-of course the pay is also good! And… it gives me the… shall I stop?”

“ _ Please _ do.”

By the time Chisato had completely caught Kaoru up on her activities for the last decade, they had shared six bottles of champagne and multiple shots Tomoe would come over to share, all the while she was asked to run around and bring multiple snacks and treats back to the table which she did for free. Kaoru didn’t have a lick of a chance of sharing anything on her end, as by the end of Chisato describing the end of her role as Pastel*Palettes’ bassist, the hosts had come around announcing the end of the night. 

Chisato could barely walk once they finally decided to leave their comfortable position on the booth seat, and Kaoru did her best to assist her despite how heavy her eyelids were getting. The bill had surely racked up, but Chisato handed the cash over like it was mere change. After all, when it was Himari’s turn (and Himari was completely knocked out) Chisato was completely floored. 

“Fifty thousand yen?! On what?!” she asked, pressing her fingers into her brow. Tomoe, who was carrying the girl on her back with ease, shrugged. 

“She did offer to buy us all drinks all night. She’s a good time, you should come again.”

“I think we might just have to pass on that offer…” Chisato grunted as Himari was passed over to her, and she had no idea how to even take the girl home without being the center of attention at every train station. “In any case, I should get going before she wakes up and begins vomiting all over me. Thank you for your time tonight, it was…”

Kaoru’s tired face took her by surprise, like she was ready to collapse any moment. Still, she didn’t miss a beat and let her hand rest on Chisato’s head before leaning down to press a soft kiss to her forehead. “But of course,” came her tired response. “I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did.”

Without another word Chisato decided to hurriedly leave the club, stumbling on her way down the stairs but not enough to make her lose her balance. Himari’s extra weight seemed to disappear, and even on the way home, phasing in and out of sleep while the train gently rocked her back and forth, her hands covering her face did nothing to stop the rosiness of her skin from showing. 

She was happy. 

At least, until she was laying in bed at the peak of sunrise and realized she had no way of contacting Kaoru outside of her work, and thus needed to make a trip back in order to get it. 

_ I suppose she can wait another ten years, then... _


End file.
